


D-Grade Assignments and A-Grade Bars

by Bookworming



Category: Monsta X (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Student/Teacher, Broke student Changkyun, Changkyun as Daniel, Freeform, I wrote this for my college assignment lol, I'm adding tags randomly sorry, Kihyun is a strict professor, Kyun is kinda shy, Lit student Changkyun, M/M, One Shot, Oneshot, Open to Interpretation, Professor Yoo Kihyun, Underage Drinking, changki, kyun is confused, studying abroad, there's flirting if you squint, yes i wrote a fanfic as my assignment
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-13
Updated: 2020-03-13
Packaged: 2021-03-01 01:42:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,841
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23127229
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bookworming/pseuds/Bookworming
Summary: The local bar is Changkyun's refuge from all the stress that university life (and a certain strict professor) give him. Unfortunately, it turns out that the source of his stress, Professor Yoo, frequents the same bar.
Relationships: Im Changkyun | I.M & Yoo Kihyun, Im Changkyun | I.M/Yoo Kihyun, changki - Relationship
Comments: 12
Kudos: 67





	D-Grade Assignments and A-Grade Bars

**Author's Note:**

> In College we studied a rather interesting poem called 'In the Small Hours' by Wole Soyinka (totally recommend it) and were asked to write a short story revolving around the experience of a bar. Somehow I ended up writing and submitting a Changki fic. This is it.

When Daniel first saw his professor in the bar, he was tempted to reach out, grab the nearest bottle of alcohol and smash it on his own head.

The whole point of sneaking out of his dorm (past curfew) had been to get away from the stress that university life had brought him. Just as he had begun to think he could breathe, life had chosen to attack him with nothing but the very _source_ of that stress, here in his bar, looking at him; eyes squinted in recognition and perhaps disapproval.

Now if it had been any other professor, they might have pretended not to see him and carried on with their lives but Professor Yoo...

It came as no surprise to Daniel when the man navigated through the crowd of people enjoying the arrival of the weekend and headed right in his direction. Once he was there, he calmly sat on the stool beside his (which was obviously empty) and muttered a cryptic “The usual.” to the bartender.

All of a sudden, he felt embarrassed for thinking of the bar as his when people like Professor Yoo probably came by more often. After all he’d been here for no more than two weeks and yet somehow, he hadn’t run into the professor before today. This was surprising considering that he spent two to three hours at the bar every day.

Had he used up all his luck within just two weeks of coming here?

With the professor sitting beside him, his heartbeat now matched the erratic notes of the jazz music playing in the bar. He wondered if he should hide his glass of rye malt whiskey but if the professor had been able to recognize him in the dimly lit room, even through all the haze and smoke- there was no way he hadn’t already seen his glass.

Daniel eyed the man beside him hesitantly before speaking over the music and the chattering. “G-good evening, Professor Yoo.” Even as he spoke, his eyes were already scanning the room for an escape.

“It’s past midnight, Changkyun. It can hardly be called evening.”

Daniel cringed at the mention of his real name and muttered something incomprehensible in response. No one called him Changkyun here in the US, not even his Korean friends. He supposed he should be grateful that in the least, the professor spoke to him in English. The last thing he needed was to be criticized on his Korean skills as well.

“You’re right, though. It would be strange to say good night as soon as you meet a person, right?” As Professor Yoo said this, he turned his face towards Daniel and raised a brow.

People went to bars to relax and get loose and here his professor was, stiff as ever, glasses perched high on his nose and still dressed in his work clothes. Even his tie was fastened tight against his neck. Just how much work did this man have? Or were the jokes about him right and he was truly the robot that everyone claimed him to be?

Daniel hurried to agree, not wanting to get anymore on his bad side than he already was. “You’re right sir-”

“Call me Kihyun,” the professor cut in, “since we’re not in class.”

Daniel stared at his professor in disbelief, sure that he had to be joking.

He didn’t want to address the professor by anything, let alone by his first name. As a matter of fact, he did not want to be having this conversation at all. If it weren’t for how reluctant he was to leave this safe haven (or at least it had been his safe haven till today), he might have already sprinted out the door.

The bartender reappeared then with something surprisingly colourful for the professor.

 _This is the usual?_ Daniel thought, his eyes returning to the professor’s serious looking face. He might have been less surprised if the professor had recharged his robot batteries.

The man took a sip of his drink and smiled in appreciation. Daniel blinked repeatedly, no longer sure if this was happening or his drink had messed with his head.

If the professor was right and it was truly past midnight, he had been in the bar for two hours with a single drink. He glanced around him and saw old and new faces. Time sped by so fast when he came here.

As he looked around, his eyes fell once again on the professor, who finally looked more relaxed after finishing half of his drink.

Somewhere in the back of his mind he heard his friend Ryan’s voice from when he’d told him that he was envious Daniel shared nationalities with the strict Modern Literature teacher _. “Maybe he’ll favour you over the rest of us.”_ he had said with a playful role of his eyes.

He had taken his words back pretty fast though when just three days into the professor’s lectures Daniel had received the most difficult assignment of them all. Five days into his lectures he’d even patted Daniel sympathetically on his back; right after the professor had humiliated him in front of the whole class, giving him the lowest grade.

Two days later, he was still not over the humiliation and yet here he was, drinking with the man who had crushed his self-esteem with a single cold glance (and big red D on his assignment).

Daniel took a large gulp of his own drink, no longer caring if the professor had anything to say.

They sat in silence for some time and some of Daniel’s peace started to come back to him as he listened to the music and to the chatter of voices. He tried to discern languages from the babble, pleased when he could recognize at least three. The US was truly a melting pot of cultures and places like bars were perfect examples of it.

He observed the people around him- observed their body languages because he didn’t know what some of them were saying. He saw them, bent over in laughter or stooped in exhaustion. He observed them flirting with their eyes, seducing and being seduced. Mainly he noticed them being absorbed in their own little worlds, downing drink after drink, either getting louder or getting quieter.

It struck him then that it didn’t really matter what languages they were speaking because emotions had no language and body parts had their own language- a language everyone could speak. Like at the table in that corner, the lady speaking in rapid Spanish was leaning toward the man in front of her, her eyes sparkling with interest. And when he leaned in too, Daniel turned back ahead, a small smile on his face.

He’d almost forgotten about his unwelcome companion by then, until he spoke up. “Your story… It wasn’t all bad, you know.”

Daniel wondered if he misheard the professor but when he looked at his face, he knew he hadn’t. Maybe it was the alcohol that made him brave enough to blurt out, “but you gave me a D.”

The professor signalled the bartender for another drink before turning towards Daniel and smirking. “It wasn’t _all_ bad.” He repeated, keeping his bespectacled eyes on Daniel as he picked up his new drink, which was somehow even more colourful.

Daniel felt his cheeks heating up and he decided to blame it on how hot it was in the room. “Oh I see.” He was tempted to ask which part of his story was _not_ bad and if he would have gotten an F if it wasn’t for it. He didn’t though, too afraid of the consequences.

“How did you manage to get that?”

When Daniel looked up, he saw the professor gesturing to his almost empty glass.

“You’re not 21, are you?” Professor Yoo tilted his head and once again, the corners of his mouths were lifted in amusement.

Daniel bit down on his lip before pulling out his fake ID and keeping it on the counter in between them. He didn’t want to go through the trouble of having another one made but he doubted the professor would allow him to keep it. He kept the excuses that popped into his mind to himself. He didn’t want to argue with the man and risk looking like a petulant child.

The professor looked down at the ID before looking back at him, any hint of smile having vanished. “Nice photo. You look hot.” He deadpanned.

Daniel’s eyes widened in surprise and he choked on air. _Hot?_

“W-what?”

The professor snorted at his reaction. Daniel knew he could no longer blame the heat in the room for the redness of his face.

When he zoned back in the professor was speaking. “-else did you expect me to say when you randomly put your ID there?”

_Not you look hot, that’s for sure._

“I thought…” Daniel trailed off, suddenly unsure as to whether the professor had realized that it was a fake ID. He reached for it hastily and stuffed it back into his pocket. “Nothing.” He finished, for the professor was looking at him questioningly.

“Are you done?” Professor Yoo asked and Daniel realized with a start that he’d somehow emptied his glass.

“Yes.” He answered. He was too broke to get another one and even if he could, he couldn’t risk a hangover when he had morning classes. Just why had he opted for Saturday classes?

The professor called out to the bartender once more. “Hey Vincent, We’re done here. Please put the three drinks on my tab.”

“You got it, Ron.”

 _Ron?_ Daniel looked at the professor and could barely hold back the snort that threatened to escape him.

“Come on, I’ll walk you home.” The professor had already risen and was looking at him expectantly.

Daniel scrambled to grab his things, barely having processed the professor’s words. He pulled out a few dollar bills and was about to keep them on the counter when Vincent, the bartender shook his head at him.

“Oh no, Ron asked me to put the drinks on his tab! Have a good night, sir.”

Confused, Daniel looked at the bartender before turning to his professor, only to see him walking out of the door. He grabbed the money, his jacket and phone and bowed at the bartender subconsciously, having forgotten for a moment that this was the US and not Korea.

Before he walked out, he paused and looked around once again, wondering what it would look like in here once he was back in his dorm room. How many new faces would have appeared? How many old ones would still be there, right until it was time to close the doors and lock the bar for the night?

One thing was sure; the bar would not lose its warm, calming effect. Later, when he would be lying in his bed (his mind racing with stressful thoughts about the next day), the bar would still be there to welcome him.

With that thought in mind, he pushed open the door and walked out into the cold night air. The music faded as the door closed shut behind him and the sudden silence felt as harsh as the low fall temperatures. Yonkers being the fourth most populous city in New York State, it was never truly quiet, except maybe at times like these. Pulling on his brown leather jacket, Daniel tried to enjoy the silence but he was already itching to turn back around and re-enter the bar.

“Do you want to go back home today?”

Daniel turned with a start to find the professor was waiting for him with a neutral expression on his face. Daniel mumbled a sorry before rushing over. The professor was about to say something else when Daniel held out the money he had been intending to give the bartender. “Here’s the money for the…” he trailed off when he took in the professor’s expression. Both his eyebrows were pulled together and his mouth was drawn into a hard line.

Ignoring Daniel’s outstretched hand entirely, he asked, “Where do you live?”

Daniel dropped his awkward hand to his side and wondered if the professor had looked even half this angry when he’d returned his story. “I live in the university dorms.” He mumbled, a little afraid to meet the older man’s eyes.

“Very well. Let’s go.”

“Huh?”

But the professor was already walking in the direction of the campus so Daniel rushed to catch up.

“You don’t have to drop me, Professor.” He said and realized with a start that they were the same height. Maybe, Daniel was even a bit taller. Even then, the older man was so much scarier.

The professor, if he had heard him, didn’t stop. They turned there at the corner and continued walking. How late was it? How far would the professor have to go after dropping him?

He tried deterring the man once again. “It’s truly fine, sir. I can go by myself-”

“I thought I told you to call me Kihyun.” The professor cut in.

Daniel couldn’t believe this was happening once again. “How can I call you by your name?” He muttered, mostly to himself. “You’re much older than I am and you-”

“Am I?” and once again the professor’s tone was playful, the corners of his mouth lifted. “Do I look that old to you?”

“I-I mean-”

The professor leaned towards him suddenly and asked, “How old are _you_? Not 21 yet, that’s for sure.”

Daniel’s entire face was on fire. Even then he somehow managed to protest with a, “I turn 21 in Jan!” Had he left behind all his sense of self-preservation in the bar?

Thankfully though, the professor seemed to be amused with him. “Oh is it.”

It took quite a bit of Daniel’s courage to ask him, “If you knew it was a fake, why didn’t you say anything?”

Professor Yoo hummed thoughtfully. “You seemed responsible enough to know the consequences of being caught.”

Daniel chewed on his lips, thinking of his parents and all the hard work they had put in to get him there. How would they feel if he was put into prison for possessing a fake ID?

Daniel looked over at the professor and felt a surge of embarrassment and gratitude wash over him. He almost forgot about the corrected assignment lying in his drawer. “Thank you for not telling on me.”

The professor smiled for the second time ~~ever~~ that night and said, “I only did that because the legal age of drinking is 19 in Korea.”

Daniel smiled too but he kept his eyes ahead, taking in the blue gradient sky, Royal blue rising and mixing with Prussian blue which was speckled with stars of varying brightness. In a few hours, there would be hints of pink, orange and azure and one star would take up all the room in the sky. He was tempted to stand right there and watch till he’d seen all that.

He loved these late night-early morning hours.

“About your assignment…”

Daniel looked over at the professor, his peace on the brink of shattering. The two came to a stop. They had arrived at the building which housed most of the non-local students. The security guard was peering through the gate suspiciously. Daniel would need an excuse… but before that he needed to brace himself for whatever criticism was coming his way. He wrapped his arms around himself, as if it would shield him from the cold and from the professor’s direct way of speaking. “Yes?”

“Gather your thoughts and do it again. You have a keen and observant mind, Changkyun, use it. Don’t be limited by your doubts when you write. Use your abilities to see things others don’t. In fact, I’m sure you already do. Use that when you write. I have high expectations from you, you know.”

Speechless, Daniel opened and closed his mouth several times before saying a short “Okay, prof- Kihyun.”

The professor smirked once again before he turned to face the security guard. “Hey, John, it’s me.” He called out.

The security guard opened the gate at once, wearing a big smile. “Richard? Hey man! Long time no see. Who’s this?”

_Richard? What happened to Ron?_

“A Student. He stays there. Could you let him in, please? He was helping me with something and I lost track of time.”

“Sure thing. Come on in, fella.”

Daniel glanced between the guard and the professor in confusion.

“Go on, then.” The professor gestured towards the gate and narrowed his eyes at Daniel before saying, “I’m still expecting you for the 8 o’ clock lecture.”

Had the professor always been this cool? Daniel bit his lip and bowed at the professor before he could change his mind. As soon as he had straightened up, he hurried inside, too embarrassed to look back. 

If he had turned back, he might have noticed the professor smiling for the third time that night.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading this <3 If any of you came here from my Hyungwonho fic *insert painful smile* I swear I'm working on the next chapter. Please be safe from that bitch COVID-19 and well, any other bitches in your life. Comments are more than welcome so don't hesitate to let me know what you think about the fic or what you think could happen :P Have a wonderful day! ^^


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